Lonely Planet Pocket Washington, DC , livre ebook

Contents

QuickStart Guide

Welcome to Washington, DC
Top Sights
Local Life
Day Planner
Need to Know
Washington, DC Neighbourhoods

Explore

National Mall
White House Area & Foggy Bottom
Georgetown
Capitol Hill
Downtown, Penn Quarter & Logan Circle
Dupont Circle
Exploring Jazzy U Street & Shaw
Adams Morgan
Mixing it Up in Columbia Heights
Arlington National Cemetery

Best

The Best of Washington, DC
Iconic Washington
Embassies & Mansions
Eating
Bars & Clubs
Shopping
Live Music
For Free
Museums & Monuments
For Kids
Gay & Lesbian
Theater & Performing Arts
Art & Architecture
History & Politics
Sports & Activities

Survival Guide

Survival Guide
Before You Go
Arriving in Washington, DC
Getting Around
Essential Information
Behind the Scenes
Our Writers
Welcome to Washington, DC
The USA's capital teems with iconic monuments, vast (and free) museums and the corridors of power where visionaries and demagogues roam. Seeing the White House and soaring Capitol will thrill, but it's the cobblestoned neighborhoods, global cafes and jazzy bohemian quarters that really make you fall for DC, no matter what your politics.

Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool, viewed from the Lincoln Memorial. | LUCKY-PHOTOGRAPHER / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
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Washington, DC Top Sights

Lincoln Memorial
Reflect at Abe's hallowed shrine.

JEFF TURNER / 500px ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
National Air & Space Museum
Rockets, airplanes and spaceships galore.

VACCLAV / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Powerful, heartbreaking wall of names.

GIUSEPPECRIMENI / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
Washington Monument
DC's tallest, most view-tastic structure.

F11PHOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
Capitol
Ornate halls and whispery chambers.

ORHAN CAM / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
White House
The President's stately abode.

ORHAN CAM / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
National Archives
Trove of historic, eye-popping documents.

EMKAPLIN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Harrowing stories of genocide.

ROB CRANDALL / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
Arlington National Cemetery
Famous gravesites and memorials aplenty.

ORHAM CAM / SHUTTERSTOCK ©


Washington, DC Top Sights
Reynolds Center for American Art & Portraiture
Top-shelf American art.

RICK BUETTNER / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©
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Washington, DC Local Life

Insider tips to help you find the real Washington, DC After checking off DC's top sights, seek out the bohemian jazz quarters, curio-filled markets, sweet patisseries and arty shops that make up Washington for the locals. Count on rambling bookstores and waterfront parks making an appearance.

Insider tips to help you find the real Washington, DC Other great places to experience the city like a local:
National Sculpture Garden
Dumbarton Oaks Park
Grace Street Coffee
Maine Avenue Fish Market
El Sol
Seventh Hill Pizza
Dupont Circle Market
Larry's Lounge
BUL

A Capital Day on Capitol Hill
y Markets
y Neighborhood bars

CDRIN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Exploring Jazzy U Street & Shaw
y Music venues
y Soul food

DAVID HARMANTAS / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

A Night Out in Dupont Circle
y Good-time bars
y Underground art

LONELY PLANET ©

Strolling Genteel Georgetown
y Swanky antique shops
y Redolent bakeries

4KCLIPS / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Mixing it Up in Columbia Heights
y Latino art and culture
y Hip cafes

DARQDESIGN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
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Washington, DC Day Planner

Day One
M Dive right into the good stuff with the monuments at the National Mall's western end. The Lincoln Memorial is about as iconically DC as it gets. Next up is the powerful Vietnam Veterans Memorial . Then comes the Washington Monument , which is pretty hard to miss, being DC’s tallest structure and all.
R Munch sandwiches by an artsy waterfall at Cascade Cafe . After lunch, it’s time to explore the National Museum of African American History and Culture , assuming you've procured a ticket, or the National Gallery of Art . Pick a side: East, for modern, or West, for impressionists and other classics. Afterward, mosey across the lawn to the National Air and Space Museum and gape at the missiles, planes and rockets.
N Hop on the Metro to Dupont Circle for dinner in one of the international restaurants. The neighborhood parties in the evening. Sip cocktails at Bar Charley , hoist brews with locals at Board Room or hit one of the dance clubs.


Day Two
M Do the government thing this morning. Start in the Capitol and tour the statue-cluttered halls. Then walk across the street and up the grand steps to the Supreme Court ; hopefully you’ll get to hear a case argument. The Library of Congress and its 500 miles of books blow minds next door.
R Continue the government theme in the White House neighborhood. Have a burger amid politicos at Old Ebbitt Grill . Hopefully you planned ahead and booked a White House tour. Pop into the Round Robin to see if any big wigs are clinking glasses. Zip over to the Kennedy Center to watch the free 6pm show.
N Hit Georgetown for dinner: maybe French fare at Chez Billy Sud or pizza at Il Canale . After dinner, sink a pint in a friendly pub like the Tombs . On warm nights the outdoor cafes and boating action make Georgetown Waterfront Park a hot spot.


Day Three
M Walking around Arlington National Cemetery you can’t help but be moved by the memorials, from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier's dignified guards to John F Kennedy’s eternal flame. The grounds spread over 624 acres and include several famous graves.
R Spend the afternoon downtown, where an abundance of riches await. See the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives , and the seat where Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre . The Reynolds Center for American Art & Portraiture hangs sublime paintings. The Newseum has the Unabomber’s cabin. You’ll have to make some hard choices about which sights to visit. When hunger strikes, try Rasika or Central Michel Richard .
N Mosey north up 14th St NW toward Logan Circle, a bountiful food and drink zone. Buzzy Le Diplomate wafts a Parisian vibe, while Churchkey pours 550 different types of beer. Continue north and you'll come to jazzy U Street and Shaw .


Day Four
M Start at Dupont Circle (the traffic circle) and walk northwest on Massachusetts Ave gaping at the enormous mansions along Embassy Row . The Phillips Collection also spreads out in a Dupont manor; the modern paintings and sculptures provide an hour or two of groovy browsing.
R Adams Morgan sits just north of Dupont. It's Washington’s party zone, but during the day Meeps and Idle Time Books provide plenty to do. Plus you’re well situated for happy hour at Songbyrd Record Cafe & Music House , a cool retro bar.
N In the evening head to Columbia Heights and see what's going on along 11th St NW. In fine weather the patio benches at Wonderland Ballroom fill with locals enjoying libations. And it's pretty much the same scene on up the road at wine-pouring Room 11 , beer-and-pool bar Meridian Pint and Italian-tinged Maple .
Need to Know


Currency
US dollar ($)

Language
English

Visas
Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days; check www.state.gov/travel for details.

Money
ATMs widely available. Credit cards accepted at most hotels, restaurants and shops.

Cell Phones
The only foreign phones that will work in the USA are multiband GSM models. Buy prepaid SIM cards or a cheap pay-as-you-go phone locally.

Time
Eastern Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus five hours)

Plugs & Adaptors
Plugs have two vertical pins; electrical current is 120V. Overseas visitors will need an adapter and maybe a transformer.

Tipping
Expected at most places. Restaurant servers 15% to 20%. Bartenders 15% per round (minimum per drink $1). Porters $2 per bag. Housekeeping staff $2 to $5 per night. Taxi drivers 10% to 15%.

1 Before You Go

Your Daily Budget
Budget: Less than $125
A Dorm bed: $30–55
A Lunchtime specials for food and happy-hour drinks: $15–30
A Metro day pass: $14.50
Midrange: $125–350
A Hotel or B&B double room: $150–275
A Dinner in a casual restaurant: $15–25
A Bicycle tour: $40
Top End: More than $350
A Luxury hotel double room: $400
A Dinner at Pineapple and Pearls: $280
A Washington National Opera ticket: $100–200

Useful Websites
Lonely Planet ( www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/washington-dc ) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveler forum and more.
Destination DC ( www.washington.org ) Official tourism site packed with sightseeing and event info.
Cultural Tourism DC ( www.culturaltourismdc.org ) Neighborhood-oriented events and tours.

Advance Planning
Three months Book your hotel, request a White House tour, try for tickets to the African American History and Culture Museum.
One month before Reserve tickets online for the National Archives, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Ford’s Theatre and Capitol tour.
Two weeks before Reserve ahead at your must-eat restaurants.

2 Arriving in Washington, DC
Washington Dulles International Airport ( IAD ; GOOGLE MAP ; www.flydulles.com ) is in the Virginia suburbs, 26 miles west of DC. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport ( DCA ; GOOGLE MAP ; www.flyreagan.com ) is 4.5 miles south of downtown in Arlington, VA. Dulles is bigger, but Reagan is more convenient, as it's closer and has a Metro stop.

From Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Metro trains (around $2.60) depart every 10 minutes or so between 5am and midnight (to 3am Friday and Saturday); they reach the city center in 20 minutes. A taxi is $15 to $22.

From Washington Dulles International Airport
The Silver Line Express bus runs every 15 to 20 minutes from Dulle